Lack of Global SSA Regime Impeding Space Safety, Commerce Official Says

The mega constellation boom -- and satellites' maneuvering capabilities -- demonstrates the need for a global system of information sharing among satellite operators, according to Richard DalBello, director of Commerce's Office of Space Commerce. He spoke Tuesday during a Politico space commerce event. At the same event, Sens. John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., and Jerry Moran, R-Kan., warned about increased space threats the U.S. faces, particularly from China and Russia.

The U.S. is doing a good job of tracking space objects, from the roughly 9,000 active satellites in orbit to the several hundred thousand pieces of debris 10 cm and larger, DalBello said. But it lacks a way of predicting maneuvers, he said. Operators should share satellite locations and where they are headed, DalBello added.

Many nations are establishing space situational awareness (SSA) systems, but those systems aren't talking with one another, DalBello said. Politics are a hurdle to information sharing, he said. Currently, SSA is akin to the very early days of air traffic management, and it needs to operate more like the modern air traffic system, where even adversary nations share information, DalBello said. That lack of an international information-sharing regime "is a major barrier to safety in the future."

DalBello said China was invited more than once to talk about space traffic safety concerns but hasn't accepted. With it poised to launch a 10,000-satellite constellation that will fly near SpaceX's Starlink system, China presents a huge space safety issue, he said. Fortunately, he believes China will likely be "prudent" in space operations. "You don't really have the option not to fly safely" considering how catastrophic a mishap could be.

Russia and China are pursuing efforts to inflict great damage in space on U.S. assets, Space Subcommittee ranking member Moran said. Competition with China in space isn't just about national pride, he said. Instead, space in large part will determine U.S. national security for decades. Cybersecurity needs are particularly relevant in space, Senate Commerce member Hickenlooper noted.

Pointing to a ninefold increase in launch activity in the past decade, FAA Associate Administrator-Commercial Space Transport Kelvin Coleman said keeping pace with licensing and permitting "has been quite the challenge." The FAA needs additional resources to meet demand, he added.

While the global space economy has increased at a rapid clip, it potentially faces a challenge in that the space workforce isn't growing at the same rate, Meghan Allen, Space Foundation senior vice president-Washington operations, said. A total of 90 nations are active in space in some fashion, she said. Space-related commercial revenue and government spending reached $570 billion globally in 2023, and have consistently grown about 7% year over year, she said.